Nadal wins seventh Monte Carlo crown at Ferrer's expense

After a stern examination of his clay court credentials on Saturday against Andy Murray, Rafa Nadal won his seventh straight Monte Carlo Masters title on Sunday, defeating compatriot David Ferrer in the final.

When Nadal lifted the trophy on Court Central at the Monte Carlo Country Club last year after defeating Fernando Verdasco, he became the first player in Open-era history to win the same event in six consecutive attempts.

Following his 6-4, 7-5 victory over world number six Ferrer, the reigning French Open, Wimbledon and US Open champion not only bettered that record - and made it even less likely that it will be taken from him during this epoch in the game - but also extended his unbeaten run on clay to 27 matches, matched Manuel Orantes and Björn Borg with 30 career titles on the surface and took his all-time leadership of the Masters triumph table to 19 events. Andre Agassi and Roger Federer both have 17 to their names.

At Monte Carlo, Nadal has played 40 matches and lost just once, to Guillermo Coria on his debut at the tournament in 2003.

"Today is a very special day for me," Nadal said after the match. "To win here for a seventh time is much more than a dream, I could never have imagined it. It was a tough game physically and it was not easy to win. I feel sorry for Ferrer today because the level he is playing at deserves a victory at a tournament of this category and he is very close to it. For the great start to the season he has had I wish him all the best."

Ferrer has not yet won a Masters 1000 tournament but he has won titles in Auckland and Acapulco this season and reached the semifinals of the Australian Open. Against his Davis Cup teammate though, the all-rounder had no answer and despite breaking Nadal twice, succumbed to the world number one for the second time in a Masters final. Nadal was also victorious in last year's final in Rome.

"Rafa is incredible on clay," Ferrer said. "He's everywhere at the same time. He's the best player on clay in history but I'm happy with my game. Reaching the final here is very difficult to achieve." Nadal certainly seems peerless on clay at the moment, but it remains to be seen whether Novak Djokovic, the world number two who beat Nadal in the finals at Indian Wells and Miami on hard courts, has the game to dethrone the world number one on Europe's crushed brick courts.

Nadal's next appointment is in Barcelona while Djokovic, who withdrew from Monte Carlo with a knee injury, will next play his home tournament in Belgrade. Next month's Madrid Masters will be the likely scene for Djokovic to see if he can challenge the status quo on clay.